Give Peas a Chance

When my sister and I were quite young, we used to drive my mother crazy. Every time she served us peas, we would literally count them to make sure she had doled out equal portions to each of us. God forbid if one of us got one more than the other, because there would be hell to pay. What was crazy, though, is that I wouldn't eat the peas. Wouldn't even touch them because I never liked the way they tasted. To this day, I avoid peas unless it's La Grenouille's Spring Pea Soup. Now those peas taste truly delicious. Oh, and I do like Barefoot Contessa's Pasta, Pesto, and Peas too.

But non-edible peas are a different matter. I love porcelain fruits and vegetables, something which many find to be twee. I'm taken with linens embroidered with Mother Nature's bounty. And fabric printed with a vegetarian motif positively catches my eye. So in honor of Spring, let's celebrate the pea.


Michael Devine sells these charming 10" porcelain peas.


I'm also taken with these porcelain peas and beans by Lorraine Taylor and Nicky Smart.


This is my kind of pea...a brooch by Jean Schlumberger


And this vintage Schiaparelli brooch is pretty tasty too.


These pea pod napkins from Williams Sonoma are cute, although I would prefer if they were plain white linen.

But the best use of peas has to be this dress designed by Givenchy. Perfection!





(Photo at top: Pasta, Pesto, & Peas from Barefoot Contessa Parties!, James Merrell photographer. Givenchy photo from Le style Givenchy)